1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lever-type connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-223958 discloses a connector assembly that uses a lever to exert the force required for mating a male connector and a female connector. The female connector has a female housing with a hood and female terminals are mounted in the female housing. A wire cover is mounted on the female housing, and the shaft of the lever is supported rotatably on the wire cover. The lever has a cam groove that engages a cam pin on the male connector. The lever is set at an initial position with the cam groove facing the cam pin. The male connector then is fit loosely in the hood of the female housing so that the cam pin enters the cam groove. The lever then is rotated so that the cam pin travels along the cam groove. Thus, a cam action moves the connectors to a normal fit-in position. A locking projection is provided on the wire cover and can engage an operation portion of the lever to prevent the connectors from being separated.
The operation portion of the lever can engage the locking projection in the above-described lever-type connector, even though the male housing is inclined during insertion into the hood. Therefore, locked engagement of the lever provides no assurance that the fittings have been connected properly, and it is difficult to detect whether the connectors have reached the normal fit-in position.
The invention has been completed in view of the above-described situation, and it is an object of the invention to provide a lever-type connector that ensures that the connectors have been locked together properly.